Goodbye
by SerpentBane007
Summary: In the world there are countless stories of two people, drawn together by love and living their lives together. This is such a tale...but not of beginnings, but of the ultimate ending. One-shot based on a long running RP of mine, very emotional and criticism is welcome.


Note: This whole piece revolves around the feeling of loss and having to say goodbye...so fair warning, that may be hard for some readers. This is the story of a character I have rp'ed for months with a close friend of mine, influenced by the song Cold by Jeff Williams. I hope you enjoy.

 _Italics:_ Flashbacks

Underline: Lyrics

The white and gold walls of the temple gleamed in the evening light, the last yellow rays of the sun warming the stone and metal as devotees of various gods, goddesses, and other beings gave thanks or prayed for intervention. But in one alcove of the temple, the light seemed to fade and grow pale, the life sucked out of the very walls like blood from a corpse. In this alcove a dais of ornate stone rose, holding the body of a male half elf. The once great paladin lay there, his hair turned grey by the years. His skin now pale and bloodless like a fish, a soft white sheen all that was left of the life taken from him. In front of the dais sat two individuals, clearly relatives of him.

One was a kobold, orange scales of her body reflecting what little light there was in the room, once vibrant lilac eyes dulled a little as her gaze flitted between the body and the floor. Small hands rubbing a ring of silver and diamonds. Besides her sat a vaguely human looking woman, buth with many patches of orange scales across her body and ridges poking through her brown hair. Eyes of that same lilac color filled with tears.

"Elykris, Eleanor. I am sorry, but he has died of old age...nothing can bring him back from that." The cleric spoke, before leaving the two women alone to grieve as they needed to. The kobold sat still, her hand clenched around her daughter's larger one. "Dammit, dammit." She tried to keep in her sobs and tears, she had to be strong in this moment. She had promised so many times to him she would, and to Eleanor... "I figured this would happen, that I'd outlive him...guess I always figured I'd go out protecting him in battle."

"I-it's ok mom... He will always live on in our hearts…" Eleanor replied, trying to hold her own tears from overwhelming her. "Remember what he said before he died... To be strong and continue to fight on... For his spirit will always be there..."

"I know, and I know I'll see him on the other side..." Tears fell slowly from Elykris' eyes as she stepped towards him, resting her head against his chest one last time. Aching with every fiber of her being to feel that strong and gentle heart thumping again. Just one more time... "Goodbye my love...I'll try not to keep you waiting too long." Her voice was barely a whisper, as her mind wandered. She felt her daughter above her, hugging her close. The small paladin broke in that moment and she cried, cried like only someone who had lost a part of their heart could cry. The sounds reverberating through the lifeless stone walls, soon sounding as if the very temple was mourning with her.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

The rain beat down on the group gathered on the cliffside, as strange a group as any. Family members of both paladins, though far fewer from the kobold's own family, close friends, people they had aided over their decades of service and adventure, and even those they had adventured with. All had gathered together today, to mark the passing of a great man. In the back of the group Elykris looked down at the notes she had prepared, then sighed and let them fall onto the wet ground. She strode forward as strongly as she could, her normal armor in place but also wearing a black cloak. The symbol of Lliira now painted in mourner's black on her chest, rather than the customary pink.

"Thank you...all of you, for coming here today." She began to speak once she had reached the platform, next to the ornate wood coffin waiting to be lowered into the ground. "You are all here to honor the passing of a friend, a paladin, a father...a husband." She looked to her daughter in the front row, the half-kobold's arms around a human girl beside her. "But more than that, we're here to honor Adam Hastif...a great man." She looked back to the coffin, the faintest hint of a smirk on her lips. "We were the oddest pair one could imagine. Half-elf and kobold, an oath to crown and an oath to absolute freedom."

A small chuckle came from the crowd at that. "But somehow we managed, and fell in love. Now...we pay our respects to him." With that she approached the coffin, others had already eulogized him more lavishly with their words. The kobold planned to let her emotions speak for themselves, as her head leaned against the wood where his head would have been. As she opened her mouth and words spilled forth, so did the memories of their life together.

She was glad it was raining...it would hide her tears.

I never felt  
That it was wise  
To wish too much  
To dream too big  
Would only lead  
To being crushed

 _Her mind went to that battlefield so long ago, and her crawl through the forest away from the clan that had forced her into violence. The goddess that contacted her there, a radiant woman of pure purple light with yellow chains hanging off her. Fingers gently forcing the kobold's chin up towards her, the beginnings of her new path._

Then I met you  
You weren't afraid  
Of anything

 _Now Elykris was in a tavern, across the table from Adam. His hair now its rich brown, eyes flashing with the green energy of youth. Their laughs and meeting bringing a smile to her lips, even as she remembered her head hitting the table and him carrying her back to her room._

You taught me how  
To leave the ground  
To use my wings

 _They lay together in a shared bed, arms around each other and smiles on their faces. "I love you, my gallant knight." The kobold whispered to him, eliciting a chuckle from the half-elf. Who proceeded to pull her even closer to him._

" _And I love you too, my shining star." He whispered back, their lips meeting and locking together in a moment of pure love._ A smile covered her face remembering the name he had given her, even as more words came from her mouth.

I never thought a hero  
Would ever come my way  
But more than that  
I never thought  
You'd be taken away

The smile faded now, as more tears fell from her eyes, her body rocked by convulsions as she remembered his last words to her.

Now it's cold without you here  
It's like winter lasts all year  
But your star's still in the sky  
So I won't say goodbye  
I don't have to say goodbye

Elykris paused for a moment, before allowing more of their memories to pass over her.

My days of doubt  
Were in the past  
With you around  
You helped me feel  
I had a place  
Direction found

 _Elykris was taken back to the temple, now alight with warm colors and the full light of the sun streaming through the windows. On each side of the long hall are rows of seats with her closest family and what she thinks are Adam's relatives. At the end is a white archway, with Adam standing at the end dressed in a white three piece suit, red tie, and a small belt made of Yeti furr and pelt. She was wearing a deep purple dress, small bits glittering like stars covering it. On her head was a small circlet of silver, the symbol of her goddess on it. The one who she had thanked endlessly since that day. She tried to walk slowly down the aisle, but failed and hurried towards Adam._

 _After getting to the end where Adam is, she can see that he has a very warm and loving smile on his face. Then after she got comfortable the actual vows and I do's started, then it got to the final part.  
_ " _Do you Adam, take Elykris as your lawfully wedded wife?" The priest asked  
_ " _I do." Adam replied with strength and conviction, a smile of pure joy on his face.  
_ " _And Elykris, do you take Adam as your lawfully wedded husband?"  
_ " _I do." Her smile is like a miniature sun as she doesn't even wait for the priest to tell them they can kiss, pulling Adam down by his tie to smash her lips against his in the most passionate kiss of her life._

You showed me that  
A greater dream  
Can be achieved  
Enough resolve  
Will conquer all  
If we believe

 _Elykris found herself inside of a house. It feels warm and cozy as some snow falls outside, with a roaring fire in front of her as she sat on the satin couch. In another room she can hear Adam talking with someone making light playful kissing noises. Smiling Elykris pulled herself from the coach, walking slowly to the door. She opened the door slowly, a hand on her heart as it soared at the sight she saw._

 _Inside the room she saw a small child, maybe a year old, walking to Adam, who is wearing a full coat of Yeti furr. "H-honey look!" The child fully walks to him and gently falls into his strong but caring arms._

 _She hums happily, seeing her miracle child finally walking. Walking over she gave her husband a little peck on the cheek, before hugging their child from behind. Wrapping the child up between them in a full blanket of love. "Mama's so proud of you!" She cooed, still amazed that Lliira had given them this miracle._

 _Adam now wraps his arms around both of them. "Thank the gods for my two miracles!" Adam hugs them both before picking them both up, one in each arm. "Alright everyone! I'll fix dinner for us so mama can relax for the evening." He gives both the baby and Elykris a light kiss on the cheek._

 _Elykris kissed them both back, holding their child while remaining curled in her husband's arms. "Thank you hun...this has been the best year of my life. Let's hope for many more to come."_

" _And so we may my love~"_

Elykris' voice threatened to break in that moment as she reached the climax of her song, but she closed a fist and stole a glance back at the crowd, then looked to the coffin.

The light you gave to guide me  
Will never fade away  
But moving forward never felt  
As hard as today

She stood now, taking a step away from the coffin as it was lowered into the dirt. The stone marker ready next to her, as she ran her fingers over its smooth surface.

Now it's cold without you here  
It's like winter lasts all year  
But your star's still in the sky  
So I won't say goodbye  
I don't have to say goodbye

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Many years later, Elykris opened her eyes yet again. Rather than the loving faces of her family and friends arrayed around her bed, she saw Mount Celesta rising in the distance. A road of pure light laid out before her, lush vegetation arrayed on the sides of the path. Despite the splendor around her, splendor that many could only dream of ever seeing, her entire world seemed to compress down to a pinprick of space before her.

"Well are you going to stand there, or are you going to say hi?"

Adam Hastif stood there, as youthful as the day they met. And his arms were wide open for her.

The kobold began to cry tears of pure joy as she sprinted towards him, her body as youthful as his. "I missed you so much!" She said, jumping into his hug and burying her face against his chest. Hearing that heartbeat she had so dearly missed once again. "Everyday...for 150 years I've waited for this moment."

Adam hugged back with tears in his eyes. "I missed you as well! And I have waited here for that time... So may we continue into paradise?" He asked while he hugs her with all the love and joy he can.

"Yes...let's go." She smiles up at him her most radiant smile, kissing him with 150 years of stored up love and affection. Now, they finally had the time they needed.

Forever.


End file.
